Bitcoin Gold is a community-led project to create an experimental hard fork of Bitcoin to a new proof-of-work algorithm. The purpose for doing this is to make Bitcoin mining decentralized again. Satoshi Nakamoto’s idealistic vision of “one CPU one vote” has been superseded by a reality where the manufacture and distribution of mining equipment has become dominated by a very small number of entities, some of whom have engaged in abusive practices against individual miners and the Bitcoin network as a whole. Bitcoin Gold will provide an opportunity for countless new people around the world to participate in the mining process with widely-available consumer hardware that is manufactured and distributed by reputable mainstream corporations. A more decentralized, democratic mining infrastructure is more resilient and more in line with Satoshi’s original vision. Perhaps, if the Bitcoin Gold experiment is judged by the community to be a success, it may one day help build consensus for a proof-of-work hard fork on Bitcoin itself.

DECENTRALIZATION

Bitcoin Gold decentralizes mining by adopting a PoW algorithm, Equihash, which cannot be run faster on the specialty equipment used for Bitcoin mining (ASIC miners.) This gives ordinary users a fair opportunity to mine with ubiquitous GPUs.

FAIR DISTRIBUTION

Hard forking Bitcoin’s blockchain fairly and efficiently distributes a new digital asset immediately to people all over the world who have interest in cryptocoins. Other methods, such as creating coins with a new genesis block, concentrate ownership within a small group.

REPLAY PROTECTION

To ensure the safety of the Bitcoin ecosystem, Bitcoin Gold has implemented full replay protection and unique wallet addresses, essential features that protect users and their coins from several kinds of accidents and malicious threats.

TRANSPARENCY

Bitcoin Gold is a free open source software project that is built by volunteer developers and supported by a rapidly growing community of Bitcoin enthusiasts that stretches around the globe.